One of the first major moves under the new “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) initiative — led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now serving as Secretary of Health and Human Services — is tackling a deeply concerning issue: the escalating rates of chronic illness among American children. In a bold step, President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring this a national “public health crisis,” citing staggering numbers from 2022: over 30 million affected children, including one in 36 diagnosed with autism,
nearly one-fifth of teens with fatty liver disease, and over 40 percent considered overweight or obese. The administration believes these conditions may be linked to poor diet, environmental toxins, and widespread overmedication — and Kennedy has pledged to examine all possible causes without restriction, including once-taboo topics like childhood vaccine schedules, microplastics, and psychiatric drugs. But as Kennedy calls for depoliticized research and a common ground approach, the real test will be in how far the commission is willing to go to uncover the truth — even if it means challenging decades of mainstream medical practice…
The executive order establishes the MAHA Commission, a coalition including the FDA, NIH, and CDC, tasked with developing a sweeping national strategy to combat chronic disease. This includes reassessing nutrition, physical activity, pharmaceutical use, and environmental exposure across all levels of childhood health. A core objective is transparency — protecting science from “inappropriate influence” and reevaluating how medications like SSRIs and antipsychotics are prescribed to children.
However, the initiative isn’t without critics. Medical professionals warn that a rigid federal approach could strain the doctor-patient relationship and delay essential care. Dr. Lelach Rave, for instance, raised concerns about undermining treatment for mental health issues. Still, the administration insists that its mission is about restoring health through informed policy, not restricting care. With the commission’s first report due in 100 days, the country waits to see whether this ambitious plan can balance scrutiny with compassion — and truly change the trajectory of children’s health in America.